According to Korber, with the invention of the camera, the concept of portraiture was totally revolutionized and painting was concurrently released from its documentary role. ‘This did not see the end of the depiction of the human form, however’, she adds ’as both the traditional and the new media tended to be put to use for the purposes of portraiture’.

‘Today, with the Internet, mass media and the moving image all streaming simultaneously, portraiture continues to penetrate ever more deeply into our everyday experience. The phenomena of social media platforms (and Facebook, in particular) exemplify our current obsession with our own image.’

Making Faces is currently on show at Rose Korber Art, 48 Sedgemoor Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town. Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am to 5 pm. Making Faces closes on 31 October 2012. For further information call Rose Korber or Valerie Botha on 021 438 9152.